Spring bar



May 1939.

' amnba INVENTOR Patented May 9,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to spring bars and their trunnions, and in particular, to spring bars suitable for use in and between blind holes.

The spring bars formerly used could be easily 5 removed from their functioning positions in their open holes simply by inserting a pointed instrument through the further end of the hole carrying the trunnion, or pin end, and by pushing the pin backward until its end was free of the hole.

The spring bar could then be tilted or angled to a free position and then lifted out of its resting place. Now, however, with the blind hole type of spring bar shown in my Patent No. 2,063,- 733, the above method of removal becomes iml5 possible as the holes carrying the bar do not extend through to the outer face of the carrying element, and the only way to remove the bar is to insert a knife blade or other sharp instrument adjacent the shoulder of the trunnion, or pin, and push the trunnion backward. This is often difllcult, and sometimes impossible, especially so when the spring bar is used inside a leather strap as wide as the distance between the holes carrying the spring bar, or when the spring bar used is a trifle long in proportion to the distance between the holes so that the trunnion must be much retracted to free the bar, or, when the spring inside the bar forces the shoulder of the trunnion tightly against the carrying element 3@ so as to prevent the grasping of the trunnion end for retracting. Further difdculty also occurs when the free space near the trunnion end is small, or the trunnion smooth, or.the pin end wedged in the hole.

Therefore, because of these difficulties, my intent is to construct a spring bar in which the pin, or trunnion, can be easily grasped and simply retracted. In order to construct such a spring bar and pin, I provide an opening, or indenture, near the end of the broad exterior part oi! the trunnion; or, I terminate the broad exterior part of the trunnion in a sloping shoulder so that when the spring bar is in a functioning position, there is a slight space between the edge of the shoulder of the trunnion and the element into which the end of the trunnion projects or extends. The indenture in the exterior part of the tnmnion in the first method, or the slight space in the second method, provides room, or a place for the insertion of an instrument with which to retract the trunnion.

Also. and in addition, I intend to construct a spring bar suitable for use in and between blind holes that does not require the outer casing of 5 the spring bar to be indented, upset, .or punched and does not use a trimnion having a reduced inner section.

My purpose in eliminating these shapes and parts is to produce an inexpensive, eflicient and sturdy spring barwhich can be easily and quickly 5 assembled.

To accomplish these objects, I construct the pin of the spring bar with a decreased outer section or slight shoulder and bend or lay over it, after its insertion in the tube, the end of the 10 spring bar tube, thus retaining the trunnion partly inside the tube.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in con- 15 nection with the accompanying sheet of drawings which forms a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a drawing of my spring bar partly in section; Fig. 2 is a modified trunnion; Fig. 3 is a side view of a 0 variation atom of the trunnions shown in sectionin Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a further modified trunnion.

In the drawing, my spring bar is shown comprised of a tube I, trunnions 2- and 3 and a 25 spring 4. The spring 4 is compressed in the tube I and presses against the inner ends of the trunnions 2 and 3, tending to push the trunnions outward. The trunnion t is provided with the inner end portion 5 slightly smaller than the 30 diameter of the tube so as to fit therein. The intermediate portion of the trunnion [i is of a diameter slightly less than the portion ii in order to form the annular shoulder i between the portions it and 6. The outer end portion ii is cl. smaller diameter than the intermediate portion t to form a perpendicular shoulder it at the juncture of these portions, and is of the proper diameter and length to fit and be held in the blind hole of the element carrying the spring 40 bar, with said shoulder in abutment with said element. The tube I terminates in the slightly inward bending end parts 9. The parts 9 are bent over so as to rest over the shoulder I but not against the peripheral face of the portion of the 5 trunnion. This permits the trunnion to slide back and forth in the tube but not to be pushed from the tube by the spring 4. g

The trunnion 3 is constructed similar to"the trunnion 2 in all its parts except that trunnion 5 3 is provided with the indenture I0 having sioping sides while the indenture I I in trunnion 2 has straight sides. These indentures are annular grooves made in the intermediate portions 6 in the trunnions near the outer end portions 8.

The assembling and construction of this spring bar is simple and easy as one end oi the tube I is bent over, one of the trunnions inserted through the open end, the spring inserted, the second trunnion inserted and the open end of the tube bent over while the trunnion last inserted is held against and compresses the spring.

The indentures III and H are to permit a knife blade, or other sharp instrument, to grasp or catch the trunnion when the spring bar is in position and functioning and retract the trunnion end 8 from its hole so as to release the bar. The indenture need not be an annular ring all the way around the trunnion, but can be a trough, or a punched hole, or several of them, an example of which is shown at ii in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows a variation in which the trunnion is provided with the sloping sides I! between the intermediate portion 6 and the outer end portion 8 oi the trunnion. The sloping shoulder i2 terminates in the flat end face part or annular shoulder l3 so that the trunnion may rest evenly against the face of the element carrying the spring bar. The part I2 then slopes away Irom the face of the element and provides room for the insertion of an instrument which can force the trunnion backward or retract it. This modification provides in another way a means for accomplishing the same object as the indentures Ill and II. By either means, a space is provided between the periphery and axis 01' the intermediate portion 6, adjacent the outer end portion 8 and hat end face l3.

Fig. 2 is a drawing of a trunnion l4 suitable for use in my patent above mentioned, but with an indenture l5 similar to the indenture ll of the trunnion 2. These indentures, or the sloping shoulder II, can be used on any type of trunnion used in a spring bar held in, or between,'blind holes.

While I have described my improvements in great detail and with respect to a preferred form thereof, I do not desire to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made and the invention embodied in widely different forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof in its broader aspects. Hence I desire to cover all modifications, forms and embodiments comingwithin the language or scope of any one or more'of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spring bar comprising a tube, a trunnion having a wide part carried in the tube, a reduced intermediate portion partly projecting from the tube, and a further reduced outer end portion extending axially from the intermediate portion, said reduced intermediate portion having indentures therein near the outer end portion; and a spring within the tube and abutting the inner end of the trunnion to urge the trunnion outwardly, said tube'having an inturned end to provide a sliding lit with the intermediate portion of the the latter.

tube, and a further reduced outa' end portion extending axially from the intermediate portion,

said reduced intermediate portion having sloping sides adjacent and towards the outer end portion; and a spring within the tube and abutting the inner end of the trunnion to urge the trunnion outwardly, said tube having an inturned end to provide a sliding fit with the intermediate portion of the trunnion and to limit the outward movement of the latter.

3. A spring bar comprising a tube. a trunnion having an inner end portion, an outer end portion and an intermediate portion, said inner end portion being slidably mounted within the tube, said intermediate portion being of smaller diameter than the inner end portion to provide an annular shoulder at the juncture oi said portions, a spring within the tube and abutting the trunnion to urge the trunnion outwardly, said tube having an upset end for engagement with'said shoulder tolimit outward movement of the trunnion, said outer end portion of the trunnion being adapted for engagement with a carrying member and further being of smaller diameter than the intermediate portion to provide an annular shoulder at the juncture of these portions, and an annular indenture in the intermediate portion adjacent the last named shoulder to facilitate retraction oi the trunnion against the action of said spring.

4. A spring bar comprising a tube, a trunnion having an inner end portion carried in the tube, a reduced intermediate portion partly projecting from the tube, and a further reduced outer end portion extending axially from the intermediate portion; and a spring within the tube and abutting the inner end of the trunnion to urge the trunnion outwardly, said tube having an inturned end to provide a sliding lit with the intermediate portion oi the trunnion and to limit the outward movement of the latter.

5. A spring bar comprising a tube, a trunnion having an inner end portion carried in the tube, an intermediate portion partly projecting from the tube, and a reduced outer end portion extending axially from the intermediate portion, a part of said intermediate portion being of reduced diameter to provide a space between its periphery and axis adjacent said outer end portion; and a spring within the tube and abutting the inner end of the trunnion to urgethe trunnion outwardly, said tube having an inturned end to provide a sliding fit with the intermediate portion of the trunnion and to limit the outward movement of CHARLES B. GREENBERG. 

